When he reached the restaurant's entrance, Niles' heart thudded in his chest with anticipation. Dear God, had his life become so dull that he found excitement from a French restaurant on a cruise ship? He sighed deeply and tried not to think about it.
He was greeted almost immediately by a distinguished dark-haired gentleman who enthusiastically invited him in, leading him to a table in the surprisingly large dining room. The lights were dim; giving it a romantic glow, but Niles was determined not to notice. Instead he smiled at the maître d'. "Thank you. This is a beautiful restaurant." He said, trying to be polite.
The man smiled. "Thank you, sir. We take great pride in it. By the way, my name is Randolph. Here is a menu and I'll also be your waiter tonight. I'll be back shortly to take your order."
"Thank you."
Niles thumbed through the small menu, his eyebrows rising in surprise when he noticed how small it was. There were only a few items offered and he expressed his concern to Randolph. But the man merely chuckled, nodding in agreement.
"I assure you that I mean no disrespect whatsoever." Niles clarified. "I just found it odd-."
"I understand, Sir. Our menu is small but what we lack in size we make up for in flavor."
Niles smiled and took one last glance at the menu, deciding on his meal immediately. "I'll have the seared fois gras with the imffade and aliget on the side."
Randolph smiled and nodded. "Excellent choice, sir. And might I suggest a bottle of our Pinot Noir to accompany your meal?"
Niles' eyes danced across the small but impressive wine list and he smiled. "Perfect!"
"I'll be right back." Randolph said, taking the menu and the wine list from Niles' hands and then disappeared into the kitchen. Alone at the table, Niles only had to wait a moment before Randolph returned with his bottle of wine. Randolph popped the cork allowing Niles to inhale the aroma. And then, in true wine connoisseur fashion, poured a small bit of the liquid into Niles' wine glass and handed it to him. "I hope you'll find this to your liking."
"Thank you." Niles replied. He swished the liquid around in glass and took a sip, his eyes widening in surprise. "This is magnificent!" The reaction surprised even him, but it certainly was sincere. Never had he expected to find such a wonderful wine on a cruise ship! He couldn't wait to tell-
He shuddered when he pictured his older brother, shoveling food into his face alongside his father, having the time of their lives. And then a slow smile crossed Niles' lips. Perhaps he would just keep this wonderful secret to himself.
Randolph disappeared once more, leaving Niles to savor his wine alone. But he wasn't alone…. Not really. He couldn't help looking around the intimate restaurant, aware of the sinking feeling in his heart as happy couples held hands and kissed, in between sharing bites of their meal with each other. He was so caught up in the scene that he jumped in surprise when he heard Randolph's voice.
"Your meal, sir. I hope it's to your liking."
The heavenly aroma wafted under Niles' nose and his mouth watered. "It looks incredible." He replied, barely able to get the words out.
"Very well, I'll leave you to your meal."
When Randolph was gone, Niles made a mental note to tip the waiter accordingly. This voyage was turning out to be so much more than he expected. Eagerly he picked up his fork and prepared to take a bite. The instant the food was in his mouth, his eyes watered from the burst of flavor. It was absolutely scrumptious, rivaling even Le Cigar Volante, a feat that was almost impossible, given his favorite restaurant's stellar reputation. And yet, somehow Tout Pour L' amour had managed to do so much with no trouble at all.
And so with a contented smile, Niles finished off the last of his Pinot Noir, and savored the rest of his meal. If heaven on water existed, he was certain that he had found it.